Written by David W. Marshall
(Trice Edney Wire) – Taraji P. Henson is speaking out and people are listening. It remains to be seen whether the award-winning actress will be the catalyst for major change in the entertainment industry, but her message is much needed.
Henson made her film debut in the 1998 film. streetwise She was later nominated for an Oscar for her role as Queenie in the movie The Curious Life of Benjamin Button‘ starring Brad Pitt. In 2016, she co-starred with Janelle Monáe and Octavia Spencer in the film. hidden person, was nominated for three Oscars. Henson is probably best known for his role as Cookie Lion on the television show. empire. During the show’s six seasons, Henson received two Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe Award for her performance.
Despite the depth of talent and career-long success of Black actresses, Hollywood is not immune to the issue of pay disparity for Black women. Fans tend to automatically assume that TV and movie celebrities live a “rich and famous” lifestyle without struggling financially. When we see so many black female celebrities playing high-profile roles on the big screen, we conclude that they’ve achieved success, and the infamous glass ceiling doesn’t come to mind. Like others have done before her, Henson once again put the spotlight on one of Hollywood’s many dark sides.
In a recent conversation on SiriusXM, Henson talked about how he’s still treated as a novice when it comes to negotiating contracts for film and television roles. “It feels like every time I do something, I break the glass ceiling again, and every time it’s time to renegotiate, I end up at the bottom again, as if I hadn’t done what I just did. ” Henson said. There are reports that claim she has considered quitting her acting altogether. “She works hard, she’s polite about her work, and she’s tired of being paid a fraction of her costs,” Henson said. “I’m tired of hearing her sisters say the same thing over and over again. It’s exhausting.” The talented actress was pushed to the brink of giving up because she was undervalued, disrespected and discriminated against. It’s a shame. Race and gender should not determine a person’s professional worth. In 2019 she said: variety She reportedly asked for “$500,000” for her role in the movie. The Curious Life of Benjamin ButtonThe film was a huge hit at the box office, grossing approximately $335 million worldwide against a budget of $150 million.
The combination of racism and sexism is not new. According to the National Women’s Law Center, black women are typically paid just 67 cents for every dollar paid to white men. The pay gap for black women with doctoral degrees widens to 65 cents on the dollar compared to white men with the same level of education. Wage inequality increases when education and professional skill levels are highest, and decreases as skills and education levels decline. “If you look at workers who don’t have a high school diploma, that’s the level of education where the wage gap is smallest for black women,” said Emily Martin, associate director of education and workplace justice at the National Women’s Law Center. . Low-wage workers have more caps, so white men earn 75 cents on the dollar. ” According to the Equal Pay Act, “Equal pay for equal work for men and women in the same workplace. The jobs do not have to be identical, but they do need to be substantially equivalent. ” It is a law that often contradicts reality. One way companies can ultimately avoid pay disparities is by encouraging employees to keep their salaries private. Therefore, discrimination is difficult to detect.
As entertainment stars, black actresses have demonstrated their top talent in all film genres, including musicals, dramas, romances, and comedies. Viola Davis, Angela Bassett, Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Halle Berry, Alfre Woodard, Whoopi Goldberg, Kerry Washington, Cicely Tyson, Loretta Devine, Monique, Nia Long, and more. Many of them have achieved star status. -Power comparable to white men and women. But many still have horror stories of compensatory discrimination.
In addition to Taraji P. Henson’s recent comments, Octavia Spencer has also spoken out multiple times about the pay gap in Hollywood. In 2019, she highlighted the importance of men advocating for fair compensation for Black actresses. Spencer’s salary negotiation for Netflix series Self Made: Inspired by the life of Madam CJ Walker. Executive producer LeBron James was forced to intervene on her behalf.Monique wins Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture precious, sued Netflix for alleged gender and racial bias in salary negotiations. The lawsuit was eventually settled.former beyoncé dream woman “But things won’t change unless both women and men say this is unacceptable. Men will demand that their wives, daughters, mothers and sisters earn more income commensurate with their qualifications, not their gender. You have to…” Her words ring true when dealing with the issue of pay inequality everywhere, not just in Hollywood.
David W. Marshall is the founder of the faith-based organization TRB: The Reconciled Body and author of the book God Bless Our Divided America. You can contact him at: www.davidwmarshallauthor.com.
